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Cell Death and Disease Impact Factor: What Researchers Need to Know

Cell Death and Disease Impact Factor: What Researchers Need to Know

Written by Connor Wood
July 25, 20255 min read

cell death and disease impact factor

For the 2024 edition, cell death and disease impact factor stands at 9.6.
This is the latest authoritative metric used to evaluate journal influence, indicating that Cell Death & Disease has reached a historic peak in academic impact within the field of cell death and disease research.

What Is Cell Death and Disease?

Cell Death & Disease (CDD) is a peer-reviewed, open-access journal from the CDDpress/Nature family focusing on translational research in cell death and its role in diseases. It covers topics like cancer biology, immunology, and neuroscience, all through the lens of cell death mechanisms. Since its launch, CDD has built a strong reputation in the field. One way to gauge this is through its Impact Factor (IF) – a citation-based metric reflecting the journal’s influence. Researchers often use tools like a smart research assistant (for example, PubMed.ai to track these metrics and keep up with publishing trends.

Founded in 2010, Cell Death & Disease (often abbreviated as Cell Death Dis in citation databases) is part of the Nature Publishing Group’s prestigious lineup. Its sibling journal, ​Cell Death & Differentiation, has been around longer and tends to skew more toward molecular pathways. Meanwhile, Cell Death & Disease casts a wider net.

Journal Profile

  • Journal Title​: Cell Death & Disease
  • Abbreviation​: CELL DEATH DIS
  • ISSN / E‑ISSN​: 2041‑4889
  • Publisher​: ​Springer Nature, located in England (CAMPUS, 4 Crinan St, London, N1 9XW)
  • Year Established / Online Launch​: 2010
  • Open Access Journal​: Yes, nearly 99% of articles are open access

Cell Death and Disease Impact Factor Trends: Still Climbing?

Here’s the number everyone wants: ​The 2024 Impact Factor of Cell Death & Disease is 9.6​, according to the Journal Citation Reports by Clarivate. It positions the journal solidly in the upper-middle tier for biomedical publications, especially impressive given the journal's relatively young age. Initially modest, the IF climbed as the journal matured and published more high-impact studies. The table below highlights recent values from Clarivate’s Journal Citation Reports:

YearImpact Factor
20196.304
20208.469
20219.685
20229.0
20238.1
20249.6

Since its launch in 2010, Cell Death & Disease has shown steady upward growth in both impact factor and publication volume. While the journal’s IF slightly fluctuated in recent years, it remains among the ​top journals in Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine​, particularly in areas such as apoptosis, cancer signaling, and immune regulation.

After a slight dip in 2023, CDD’s Impact Factor rebounded to 9.6 for 2024 (the highest on record), indicating a growing citation rate for its articles. This rebound suggests that research in cell death–related diseases is gaining more visibility and influence.

Cell Death & Disease Citation Metrics

Cell Death & Disease journal's Scope and Areas of Focus

This journal's scope is refreshingly interdisciplinary. It covers:

  • Molecular and cellular mechanisms of cell death (e.g., apoptosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis)
  • Disease mechanisms linking cell death to inflammation, cancer, neurodegeneration, infection
  • Translational studies that connect basic findings to human disease models
  • Reviews of emerging pathways and therapeutic strategies related to cell survival and death

Target disciplines include ​oncology, immunology, neuroscience​, and ​molecular pathology​, making it an ideal venue for researchers working at the intersection of mechanism and medicine.

Competitive Rankings in Its Field

Let’s look at how Cell Death & Disease stacks up in its core subject areas (per Web of Science rankings):

Subject AreaRankTotal JournalsPercentile
Neuroscience – Cell & Molecular7100Top 7%
Cell Biology26285Top 10%
Immunology23240Top 10%
Cancer Research24233Top 10%

JCR Quartile​: Q1 in Cell Biology
These rankings affirm CDD’s strong reputation within cellular neuroscience, immunology, and cancer-related research.

CDD vs. Other Journals: How Does It Compare?

JournalImpact Factor (2024)
Cell Death & Disease9.6
Journal of Clinical Invest. (JCI)13.6
JCI Insight6.1
Nature Cell Biology~20+
Apoptosis~5
Cellular & Mol. Life Sci.~15–16

Mid-high tier for cell biology and disease journals. A great venue for mechanistic and translational research, particularly in cancer and immunology.
Impact Factor is just one metric​. A higher IF generally means more visibility, but researchers should also consider journal scope, peer-review standards, and open-access policies. In the case of CDD, its solid IF indicates it is well-cited, but choosing where to publish or what to read should also factor in content relevance and audience.

Cell Death & Disease Indexing and Global Visibility

Gold OA Percentage

99.89% of articles are open access under the Springer Nature umbrella. That means every single article is free to read, share, and cite.

For researchers, this is gold. Your work isn't stuck behind a paywall, which:

  • Boosts discoverability
  • Helps citations accumulate faster
  • Promotes collaboration across borders and disciplines
    It’s no coincidence that journals going open access often see impact factors climb steadily.

Indexing & Coverage

It is indexed in major global databases:

What Type of Research Gets Published in Cell Death and Disease?

Here’s a rough feel for the type of content accepted:

  • Basic Research​: Molecular pathway dissection (e.g., caspases, p53, Bcl-2 family)
  • Translational Studies​: Mechanisms applied to human disease models
  • Cancer Studies​: Glioblastoma, leukemia, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, etc.
  • Neurobiology​: Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, ischemia-induced cell death
  • Infectious Disease & Inflammation
  • Reviews & Perspectives​: Emerging fields in regulated cell death and therapeutic targets

If you’re in the middle of studying something that involves a dead (or dying) cell, chances are, this journal’s audience wants to hear about it.

What About Publishing in Cell Death & Disease? Is It Hard?

Yes, publishing in CDD is difficult, but not impossible.

The ​acceptance rate hovers around 20-25%, and ​the time to first decision is ​about 2 months.

Submission Requirements​:

  • Clear novelty and robust methodology
  • Cross-validation using multiple models (e.g., in vitro + in vivo)
  • Connection to a disease mechanism or potential clinical insight

The review process is competitive​, and submissions must be scientifically sound and novel in hypothesis or approach. Formatting? Pretty standard: IMRAD structure, figure-rich papers, extensive references. And yes, expect to pay article processing charges (APCs), because open access ain’t free. APC is approximately GBP 3,290 / USD 4,790 / EUR 3,890. It is relatively high compared to average OA journals, but justified by its broad visibility, strong impact, and brand credibility under ​Nature​.

Want to stay ahead of the literature curve?

Try PubMed.ai — a smart search assistant that helps you summarize, analyze, and generate insights from biomedical papers. It works like your personal AI research co-pilot.

Read More:

FAQs About Cell Death & Disease Journal

What is the impact factor of Cell Death & Disease in 2024?

The impact factor of Cell Death & Disease for 2024 is ​9.6​, according to Clarivate's Journal Citation Reports.

Is Cell Death & Disease a good journal for cancer-related research?

Yes, it frequently publishes high-quality cancer research, especially studies linking cell death mechanisms to tumor development or therapy resistance.

How do I submit to Cell Death & Disease?

You can submit through the Springer Nature portal. Make sure your manuscript fits their focus on cell death mechanisms and disease relevance.

Is Cell Death & Disease indexed in PubMed and Scopus?

Absolutely. It's indexed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and other major databases, which boosts visibility and citations.

What's the difference between Cell Death & Disease and Cell Death & Differentiation?

Cell Death & Differentiation focuses more on basic molecular mechanisms and developmental biology, while Cell Death & Disease leans toward translational and disease-related research.